(This is a first-hand account of the India CEO Summit on Day Two of the conference, March 9, from Tom Glynn, PhD, Director, Cancer Science and Trends and Director, International Cancer Control, American Cancer Society. A photo from the event appears below.)
India CEO Summit on Tobacco-Free Workplaces: The American Cancer Society co-sponsored this event with the Public Health Foundation of India, the World Economic Forum, and the India Association of Occupational Health. It is part of an ongoing effort to enlist companies throughout India (both India-only and international companies) to make their workplaces smoke-free and offer cessation help to their employees.
Dr. Jeff Koplan, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and now director of the Global Health Institute at Emory chaired the event. John Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, and Dr. K.S. Reddy (a Luther Terry Awardee this year), S.P. Kamble of the World Economic Forum, S. Pingle of the Indian Association of Occupational Health, and Douglas Bettcher of the World Health Organization (WHO) each spoke, noting that India has been a leader in creating tobacco-free environments and urging corporate leaders to take this on as part of overall wellness programs. Dr. Reddy noted that tobacco-free workplaces are a symbol of good corporate governance and Dr. Seffrin noted that tobacco-free workplaces are simply good for the bottom line.
The concluding address of the Summit was by Indian Health and Family Welfare Minister (and 2006 Luther Terry Awardee) Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss. This drew a lot of press, both print and electronic, including TV. He challenged the CEOs in the room to make their company workplaces tobacco-free. He also applauded the American Cancer Society for launching Quitline in India. More than 30 CEOs and medical directors attended, and signed a pledge to make their companies tobacco-free. Afterwards, many of the CEOs spoke of their current and future efforts to make their workplaces throughout India tobacco-free.
Speakers at the India CEO Summit
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